•
Rating: Christmas is approaching, and like every year, "best of," "the very best of," "the essential," "anthology" collections start appearing from a bunch of bands, maybe with limited editions, which obviously come out AFTER, resulting in the true fan having already bought the "basic" version and if they want something extra, they have to pay again...
"Lost Dogs" is different.
It's Pearl Jam: it can't be like the others.
For those who don't know them: their way of doing things is different NOT in the sense of "look at how cool we are, we who stand out from the others," but because they go their own way, with their own ideas, which one might not agree with, but which have their own reason. Here we're talking about a DOUBLE CD of rarities, b-sides, songs released as Christmas singles for the fan club, songs written for benefit compilation albums, covers, etc. These are songs that cover the entire spectrum of their decade-long career, and this contributes to making the work very HETEROGENEOUS: although many (almost all) of the songs were re-recorded, you can tell they belong to different artistic periods. The type of songs also emphasizes this fact: it ranges from the grunge of the instrumental "Brother" and "Alone," to the punk of "Leaving Here," the Beach Boys-esque "Gremmie out of control," the folk/country of "Drifting," and so on. In terms of vocals, Eddie Vedder hands the microphone over to Jeff Ament (the bassist) in "Sweet Lew," to Stone Gossard (one of the guitarists) in "Don't gimme no lip," and to Jack Irons (former drummer) in "Whale song."
There would be a thousand anecdotes to tell about each song, anecdotes that are described in the CD booklet (whose artwork is, as always, meticulously crafted), but here I will limit myself to recalling the ghost track at the end of the second CD: it's an unreleased song dedicated to Layne Staley, written by Vedder the night he learned of the death (from overdose) of his friend; a touching, simple, and heartfelt farewell.
It's time to draw conclusions: do I buy it or not?
It depends... if you like them, it's definitely worth buying (even though in the end, the true fan will already have it at home!), if you don't know them... honestly I can't recommend it 100%... it's really too heterogeneous to start listening to them with this CD... it might disorient.
For many, but not for everyone. Needless to say, I'm more than happy to be among the many!
One anecdote above all. It's 1992, and there's a song that's notably successful: musically carefree, cheerful, young band, with a fitting video. I'm talking about "No Rain" by Blind Melon. In the video (as well as on the single's cover), the protagonist is a chubby bespectacled little girl who dances and goes around dressed as a bee... From watching this video, "Bee Girl" was born, written by Vedder, who commented: "The girl in the video was nine and... there are no other words, she was so detestable and loved being a star... and it was like I was trying to tell her, hey, it's not the most important thing in your life. It can't be. You will die." Acoustic guitar and vocals, a very sweet song tinged with bitterness, a play on words in the chorus (Bee girl... be a girl...): a fantastic song.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Sad (03:36)
All the photographs were peeling
And colors turned to gray, he stayed
in his room with memories for days, he faced
an undertow of futures laid to waste, embraced
by the loss of one what he could not replace
there's no reason that she passed
and there is no god with a plan, it's sad
and his loneliness is proof, it's sad
he could only love you, it's sad
the door swings to a passing fable
a fate we may delay, we say
holding on, delivered in our own brace
he let 'em as he laid in bed
hoping that dreams will bring her back, it's sad
and his loneliness is proof, it's sad
he could only love you, it's sad
holding his last breath, believing
he'll make his way
but she's not forgotten
he's haunted
he's searching for escape
if just one wish could bring her back, it's sad
and his loneliness is proof, it's sad
he will always love you, it's sad
04 In the Moonlight (03:05)
Take a ladder up to my room.
Take a ladder up to the moon.
I am a light reflected off of the moon to you.
So faraway, running out of room.
Running out of time,
Meet me on the moon... on the moon.
We'll have it all to ourselves.
We'll keep it, and no one could tell.
All our searching...
Sharing a kiss on the moon. [x2]
The german sky... don't ask me why.
It's ten o'clock and my only thought is of you and the moon. [x2]
And the moon. [x2]
It's ten...
I'll share a kiss with you on the moon.
05 Hitchhiker (03:19)
You fool
Dude what d'you think you're doing
So you're lost
My problem is not
Conductor says
Off of my train
Be understood
Guess those relationships ain't my thing
Even if I could
You ain't the kinda person I would help anyway
I'm about to explode
Cause I can't carry your load
Hitchhiker
You're cool
and coke and your calculations
We're friends
Only because of my situation
I'm about to unload
Cause I can't carry your load
Hitchhiker
So be gone
Too soon is too late
I want no delay
So be gone
Get your food of someone else's plate
Go tell all o'your friends
I'm an idiot and you're great
Hitchhiker
Now Go...
06 Don't Gimme No Lip (02:34)
Don't give me no lip
Don't give me no lip
Don't give me no
2x
Don't give me no lip, i've had my fill of it
Don't give me no lip, i've lost my taste for it
Don't give me no lip, you've got to face this shit
Don't give me no lip, Don't give me no lip
Don't give me no lip
Don't give me no lip
Don't give me no
3x
Don't give me no lip, I'm just not having it
Don't give me no lip, stuck on your cigarette
Don't give me no lip, I'm wiping off the spit
Don't give me no lip, Don't give me no lip
It's just a problem
One I'll be solving
It's just a problem
Don't give me no lip
Don't give me no lip
Don't give me no
4x
07 Alone (03:11)
wide awake like snakes in a panic
never woke up alone ever before
had his woman long as he can remember
his to forget, but he can't, he can't
out of bed and he dreams in the shower
she's standing naked, he's apologizing
reaches for her and the water turns red, got
woken up to be burned, burned, again
go it alone
you got it, so it goes
got his knees to his face
he can't take it any other way
on the streets he's a-walkin', wounded
having nothing, he's got nothing to say
thoughts of suicide and alleviation
anything to get his heart off of the coals
go it alone
you got it, so it goes
got his knees to his face
he can't take it for another day, yeah yeah
wide awake and he shakes in a panic
never woke up alone ever before
had his woman long as he can remember
sears to forget, but he can't, he can't
08 Education (02:45)
I'm questioning my education
Is my education who i am now?
While you're deciding i've been finding
Looking around in the here and now
If I'd been taught from the beginning
Would my fears now be winning?
I'm questioning my own equation
Is my own equation relevant somehow
The flags will wave and the news is breaking
See the man who came, forgot his own tie
If I'd been taught from the beginning
Would my fears now be winning?
A wild world, figured out the answers
I'll be in my own, dancing out, ou-out yeaaah
I'm questioning my education
Rewinding, what does it show?
Could be, the truth, it becomes you
I'm a seed wondering why i'm grown.
12 Gremmie Out of Control (02:26)
1, 2, 1, 2
1, 2, 1 2 3 4
Every beach has a clown who thinks he knows it all.
Hang-ten outta Santa Fe when surf comes out tomorrow lets go!
And he's always practicing his cowabunga call.
Cowabunga!
But the menace scrambles when the big waves start to roll.
Wsssshhhh...
'Cuse there's nothing worse then a gremmie out of control.
Gremmie out of control. (x2)
There's nothing worse then a gremmie out of control.
The kids all know that a gremmie's talk is cheep.
Ride the Hula-Han over the pipeline bonsai to the saddle bowl.
Tho they just try to ignore this ugly creep.
Cowabunga!
His board is always full of dings 'cause he's always doing stupid things.
And there's nothing worse then a gremmie out of control.
Gremmie out of control. (x2)
There's nothing worse then a gremmie out of control.
Gremmie out of control. (x2)
There's nothing worse then a gremmie out of control. (x3)
13 Whale Song (03:31)
The sun was in clouds. The sun looked out. Exposed a trail of mist and spouts.
Ships followed the ancient lead. Deceiving friends under the sea.
Wow, imagine that? They won't fight back. I got a theory on that.
A whale's heart is as big as a car. A whaler's thought must be smudged by the dark.
They won't fight back. I'm sure they know how. Means they love or are too proud.
They won't fight back. I'm sure they know how. Means they love or too proud.
They swim. It's really free. It's a beautiful thing to see. They sing.
Hunters of land. Hunters of sea. Exploit anything for money.
I refer to anybody that takes advantage of what that is free.
They won't fight back.
It's only a thought that makes it seem right. What you don't see is because of your sight.
Take what you want. Kill what you can. That's just one way of the mind of man.
Take their lives. Sell their parts but there is not taking of their hearts.
If I was lost at sea. That harpoon boat in front of me. It's the whale I'd like to be.
They won't fight back. [x5]
They don't know how.
They won't fight back. [x3]
14 Undone (03:10)
Last stop on the westcoast line
South of the northern border
One small corner on my mind
Everybody they know me there
Don't get any second glances
Chances are that they don't care
World as come undone
like they change it everyday
Change don't come at once
There's a wave building before it breaks
Can't wait for election day
Where the nasty occupation
Corporations rule the day
Playing on the pendulum throws
Farther out to the one side swinging
Has to sweep back the other way
The world has come undone
Another day and who can wait
Change don't come at once
It's a wave building before it breaks
All this hope and nowhere to go
This is how I used to feel but no more
The world has come undone
Like a game that few can play
Change don't come from one
It's a wave building before it breaks
15 Hold On (05:07)
Hold On Lyrics
Artist(Band):Pearl Jam
(Print the Lyrics)
I was drawn...
Riding atop a black horse.
Whatever past there was,...
I could only observe...
Where the trouble starts.
Where does it end?
How can I be cured,...
How, before it ends?
I know... life would be different if I... held on. Held on.
I know... I could be something if I... held on.
Gave her life away,...
Put it in my pocket when it shoulda been framed.
Oh, I lost its shine.
Gotta get this outta my head,...
Out of my bed!
How could it end,...
End like this?
How could it end?
I know... life would be different had I... held on. Held on.
I know... I could be something had I... held on. Held on.
I know... I could be something if I... held on! Held on.
I know... life would be different if I... held on! Held on!
Held on. Held on. If I...
Held on. Held on. If I...
Held on. Held on. If I...
Held on. Held on.
16 Yellow Ledbetter (05:10)
Unsealed yeah, on a porch a letter sat.
Then you said, "I wanna leave it again."
Once I saw her on a beach of weathered sand.
And on the sand...
I wanna leave it again... yeah.
On a weekend... wanna wish it all away, yeah...
And they called, and I said that "I want what I said" and then I call out again.
And the reason, oughta' leave her calm, I know...
I said, "I know what I wear, not the boxer or the bag."
(''Alternate version:''
''I want to see that...
On a voice that let out said,
"Let me see him."
I want to leave it{him} again.
Once I saw him on a beach of weathered sand.
I don't want to see him.
I want to leave it{him} again.
I want to leave here, I want to get wasted on the-way, yeah.
And he called and I said and I know what I said and I called out again
And the reason, I'm gonna' leave her{him} gone, But I know...
What-I said, "I don't know whether to leave it in the box there or n'the bag."
Ah yeah... Can you see them out on the porch?... yeah, but they don't wave...
I see them... round different ways, yeah.
And I know, And I know {That I don't}... I don't want to say'')
Ah yeah, yeah,
Can you see them...
Out on the porch?...
Yeah, but they don't wave...
I see them... round the front way, yeah.
And I know, and I know...
I don't want to stay...
(make me cry)
Ooooh I see...
Ooh, I dont know there's something else...
I want to drum it all away...
Oh, I said, "I--I don't, I don't know whether I was the boxer or the bag."
Ah yeah...
Can you see them...
Out on the porch?
Yeah, but they don't wave.
But, I see them round the front way, yeah.
And I know, and I know...{, that I don't...} I don't want to stay, alone {at all}
I don't wanna stay. Yeah.
I don't wanna stay. (2x)
I don't.
Don't wanna...
Ohhhh...
Yeah... oooh no no no no no
Ohhhhhhh oh oh oh oh
Loading comments slowly
